Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and San Dimas, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Dimas, CA: $2,463 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in San Dimas, CA
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San Dimas, CA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

San Dimas, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in San Dimas, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in San Dimas, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,463 in San Dimas, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
San Dimas, CA $2,463

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,607 in San Dimas, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
San Dimas, CA $3,607

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,750 in San Dimas, CA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
San Dimas, CA $4,750

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than San Dimas, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and San Dimas, CA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, San Dimas, CA by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$11.90 $11.90

73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$49.37 $49.37

82.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.88 $8.88

45.72%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.85 $5.85

-4.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.52 $3.52

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.46 $2.46

-7.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.59 $7.59

-8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.21 $8.21

7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.09 $1.09

16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.07 $4.07

-6.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.80 $4.80

10.42%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.61 $4.61

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.96 $12.96

7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$20.43 $20.43

-28.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$15.16 $15.16

23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.91 $4.91

5.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.53 $5.53

-28.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.85 $5.85

-15.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.76 $3.76

-26.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.22 $2.22

24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.99 $1.99

11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.84 $1.84

61.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.65 $11.65

20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.16 $15.16

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.99 $1.99

29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.24 $4.24

-17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.70 $1.70

45.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$6.15 $6.15

-45.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.77 $1.77

-19.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$26.08 $26.08

-6.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.56 $1.56

-19.23%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.9K $28.9K

21.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 $193

$167 $167

15.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$67.9 $67.9

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$59.7 $59.7

2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.86 $41.86

29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.89 $14.89

19.14%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$1,935 $1,935

-14.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$26.1K $26.1K

19.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$57.6 $57.6

14.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.34 $39.34

30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$93.9 $93.9

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$146 $146

-3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,616 $1,616

51.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,197 $1,197

40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,554 $2,554

84.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,036 $2,036

37.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,691 $2,691

52.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,449 $2,449

8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,063 $4,063

19.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Dimas, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

San Dimas, CA

$1.2K 48.6% 28.6% $480

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

San Dimas, CA

$456 18.5% 1.5% $6.8

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

San Dimas, CA

$270 11% 21.3% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

San Dimas, CA

$294 11.9% 8.7% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

San Dimas, CA

$152 6.2% 5.9% $9.6

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

San Dimas, CA

$22 * 0.9% 77.1% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

San Dimas, CA

$72 2.9% 20% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,616 in San Dimas, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $49.00 in San Dimas, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $456 in San Dimas, CA – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 San Dimas, CA

🕒 Local time

14:57 2:57 PM

12:57 12:57 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

35,714

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL San Dimas, CA 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
San Dimas, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs San Dimas, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,463 in San Dimas, CA – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,695 in San Dimas, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Dimas, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $49.00 in San Dimas, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,463 in San Dimas, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,463 in San Dimas, CA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Dimas, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.